Global product demand trends favor diesel fuel over motor
gasoline. This provides a challenge for fluid catalytic
cracking (FCC) centered refineries because FCC-based
light-cycle oil (LCO) now has limited value as a component in
modern diesel transportation fuel due to its aromatic and
sulfurous character. To make matters worse, quality virgin
distillate included in the FCC feedstock is essentially destroyed
during FCC processing. How can a refiner with a traditional FCC
as the primary conversion unit stay profitable in a flexible
market-driven economy?

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